Almond Puff Pastry

This recipe has been around for a while but some of you younger gals might not be familiar with it. At first glance the directions look difficult, but are not at all. It just involves 3 steps. The first layer is almost like a pie crust, the second is like cream puffs and the rest is just jam you add. I have made this both with apricot and strawberry jam and they are equally as good.

Ingredients:

First layer:

• 1/2 cup butter, cut into pats or 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water

Second layer:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Third layer:

• 2/3 cup jam or preserves
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds

Icing:

• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 tsp. milk or water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Toast Almonds at 350 degree F oven for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.

First layer: In a medium sized bowl, combine the butter, flour, and salt (if using unsalted butter). Work the butter into the flour as you would for pie crust. Add the 1/4 cup water. The dough will form into a ball. Divide in half. Shape the piece into a 11 by 3 inch rectangle on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between each one. (I did mine on two separate sheets). Set aside

Second layer: In medium sized saucepan, bring water and butter to boil. Stir until butter melts and add flour (and salt if using unsalted butter) all at once. Stir until the mixture thickens and begins to steam and leaves sides of pan. Remove from heat and beat at med speed with mixture for about a minute or beat by hand vigorously for the same amount of time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, beat until the dough loses it's shiny look and each egg is totally absorbed. Mix in the almond extract. With a spatula or your wet fingers) spread the batter over the strips, dividing it evenly for each puff.

Bake pastry for 50 to 60 minutes, or until it's a deep golden brown.. Remove from oven. Transfer to cooling rack. Spread jam over the top and string some icing over. Then add almonds.

Source: I got this particular recipe from allrecipes but I had one exactly like it in my file that I got from a Danish woman who was my neighbor. I made it often when the kids were small.

By Elaine from IA